1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robot and, more particularly, to a method of detecting an object using a structured light and a robot using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, robots have been developed for use in industry as a part of factory automation or to perform tasks that are repetitive, dangerous, and/or difficult. Robot engineering has been directed to space applications as well as humanized robots for home use. In addition, robots are being installed inside of people to cure ailments that cannot be cured by existing medical devices. Such robot engineering has received much attention as the most advanced field that will substitute for the biotechnology field as the most popular after the information revolution based on the Internet.
An example of a robot for home use is a cleaning robot, which serves as a leading example of how heavy industry based robot engineering limited to industrial robots is being extended and transformed into light industry based robot engineering.
A cleaning robot generally includes a driving means for movement, a cleaning means for cleaning, and a monitoring means for sensing a front obstacle. The driving means includes a driving motor exerting a driving force, a caterpillar or wheel having a predetermined diameter, driven by the driving motor, and a driving control circuit controlling driving operation. The cleaning means includes a dust collector collecting dust to remove it, and a dust collecting control circuit controlling the dust collecting action. The monitoring means includes a monitoring camera for capturing a front obstacle, and a transmitter for transmitting an image captured by the monitoring camera to a user.
Such a robot senses an arrangement of obstacles existing in a peripheral area to set a movable area as a predetermined reference map, and moves to a destination without colliding with the obstacles in accordance with the set reference map. Since a floor object such as carpet or a rug does not disturb movement of the robot even though it is arranged on a moving path of the robot, it is likely that the reference map fails to reflect the presence of such a floor object. However, the floor object such as carpet or rug may affect a task of the robot. For example, as the floor object may be sucked into a brush of the cleaning robot, the operation of the cleaning robot may be stopped abnormally. Accordingly, a technique for detecting the presence of a floor object is required.
Korean Patent Unexamined Publication No. 10-2004-2162 discloses an apparatus and method for measuring a position using a laser, wherein a plurality of laser beams are generated and a relative position of a target is detected through images of points formed in the target by the beams to measure a distance to the target. However, this publication does not disclose a method of detecting a floor object, although a method of detecting an obstacle to set a reference map corresponding to a movable area of a robot is described.